Door hinge



R. E" SLOPA DOOR HINGE Feb. 19, 1952 Filed March 2e, 194s Patented Feb. 19, 1952 noonv HINGE Robert E. Slopa, Chicago, Ill., assignor of onehalf to George W. Slopa, Chicago, Ill.

Application March 26,v 1948, Serial No. 17,199

4 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in hinge structures and more particularly to the rugged construction and association of operating parts of a novel resilient floating type hinge of a kind that insures tight sealing contact between a door and its related door frame.

Known types of hinges or door mountings of the kind adapted to urge a door into tight sealing contact with its related door frame embody various, and sometimes unsightly, corn-v plicated structures which in some instances 'are not entirely satisfactory in use either because of the looseness in the hinge mounting or the difficulties involved in adjustment or part replacement.

The hinge structure embodying the features of the present invention is particularly adapted vfor use on doors mounted to hermetically seal a chamber such as, for example, a cold storage chamber or refrigerator. The door may be'oi conventional construction and it may be provided with'suitable sealing strips or gaskets which abut the face of the door frame surrounding the wall opening for establishing a tight seal. In order to maintain a tight seal around the entire opening, the hinge elements must necessarily be of a compensating type so that the edge of the door along which said hinge elements are mounted may be adjusted towards or away from the door frame progressively to compensate for any wear in the sealing strips or for any strain imposed upon the sealing strips because of icing or other conditions which may retard uniform sealing.

The hinge structure disclosed is somewhat similar to the type of overlap hinge structure disclosed in the copending application of George W. Slopa, Ser. No. 8,939, filed February 17, 1948, now Patent Number 2,535,324 of December "'26, 1950, except that in the present instance V`the link means connecting the member secured to the door with the mounting bracket is movable with and supports the door. In the present dis closure force is exerted directly on the member attached to the door and in the direction of the plane of the door to insure sealing contact between the door and the door frame at all times when the door is in closed position.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel free-swinging, yieldable hinge structure adapted to compensate for any strain upon a closure supported thereby owing to icing or other conditions which may prevent uniform sealing. Y

- Another object is to provide, in a hinge strucl(C1. ics- 131) ture, novel features of construction and assem- B bly which will facilitate part replacement without complete dismantling of the installation.

Another object is to provide a compensating 5 hinge structure with resilient means arranged to exert pressure in a direction at right angles to the plane of the door so as to urge the door, when in closed position, into tight sealing engagement with the door frame.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in an adjustable hinge structure, means to prevent the development of looseness between related parts irrespective of whether the door car ried thereby is in open or closed position.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims, and are illustratedin the accompanying drawing which, by way of illustration, shows exemplary embodiments and the 20 principles thereof. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same principle may be used, and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art, without departing from the present invention and the puru view of the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a hinge embodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal plan view of the hinge showing portions of an enclosure wall and door in section.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, which is illustrative of an exemplary form of refrigerator wall door opening and closure door therefor, it will be observed that the wall II is provided with a door opening, as at I2, having a door I3 in abutment with the marginal area or door frame surrounding the opening I2. The relationship between the door I3 and the door frame is such as to provide a hermetic seal therebetween so as to prevent rapid heat transfer when the door is closed and latched. It should be understood that all references herein to a door frame include the marginal area of any door opening adapted to be closed by a door in the manner discussed in detail hereinafter.

As illustrated, the door I3 is mounted to swing` ous that although but a single hinge is illustrated, a door mounting will include two or more such hinges depending upon the size and weight of the door. The hinge elements are secured i'lrmly to the outside face and along one edge of the door I3 and to the related face of the door frame. The other or free edge of the door I3 (not shown) may be suitably secured in closed position by manually operable latch mechanism of anyv conventional construction.

In the present disclosure, when the door is swung into a closed position and latched, a sea1- ing strip or gasket I provided all around the inside face of the door margin is brought into tight sealing contact with the faceof the door frame so as to hermetically seal the opening.

Owing to icing conditions orto the'presence ofV other obstacles which may prevent uniform or tight sealing of the gasket I5 around the door frame, the hinge elements I4 embody a yieldable construction so as to` automatically compensate fori any variationinv the ultimate or sealing pomounting 'bracket' I6` may be substantiallyl rectangular'zin shapeand is secured to the outside face of the enclosure wall Il" adjacent one edge of the-door opening I2 as by means of lag screws I8. A1 pair of ears I9 are formed integral with the bracket I 6=and extend forwardly therefrom in spaced apart relation. These ears are suitably aperturedv adjacent their free ends to receive therethrough a pintle pin or bolt 2 I.

A wide-link 22, best shown in Fig; 3, is provided 'onfone-endwith a substantially cylindrical bearingportion23 of'aV length` corresponding substantially tothe Adistance between spaced apart ears 1I9. This link end is: adapted to be fitted betweenthe ears I3 and receive theboltZ Itherethrough, thereby affordingl al loose hinge connection between the link endzand the mounting bracket I6; The other end of the link 22 also is provided with a tubular bearingportion 24 having an aperture 25 therein for purposes tofbedescribedzhereinafter.

The associated hinge member II consists of an elongated strap-like member, preferably U-shaped inftransverse section. and tapered longitudinally.

It is suitably apertured at spaced intervals throughout its length to receive mounting screws 26f by. means of which, the member. I'I is firmly secured' to the/outside face of the. door I3 adjacent one edge thereof. Upon` referring to Fig.: 2 it will be observed that the member I'I projects outwardly beyond the edge-ofthe door i I and that itsv Aprojecting. end portion overliesr and embraces thelink 22 so-as to substantially conceal the same fromrview. The extremeA end or tail portion 21 of thefmember I7 extends rearwardly substantially at'right angles to the main body portion toeverliethe hinge connection between the link 22 and mounting bracket I5.l

The longitudinalside walls or iianges 28 of the hinge member I'I terminate short of the hinge connection at the bracket I6 and are provided with aligned apertures registering withthe aperture 25 in thelink end 24. A bolt or pin 29 is passed through the. registering rapertures in the sidewalls 28 andlink end 24 to pivetally connect said' link endto theY member lI inwardly of the free4 end of the projectingend portion. Theflink which affords atfree swingingrconnection between the-f member I'1 and bracket I5 is sumciently rugged to afford adequate support for the door I3, the weight of which is carried thereby.

Free movement between the link 22 and hinge member ll' is prevented in the present construction by the provision of suitable yieldable means connecting said members. As best shown in Fig. 3, such means includes a tie bolt 3| which extends freely through a hole 32 in the link web 33 and throughY acorrespondinghole 34 in the overlying free end portion of the member I'I. A pair of compression springs 35 and 36 are suitably mounted on the tie bolt SI, one on either side of thelink web 33. As illustrated, the spring 35 is located on the inwardly disposed face of the web 33 and is retained in place as by means of a washer 31 carried beneath the bolt head 38. The other spring 3B is interposed between the opposed recessed face of the link web 33 and the inside face of the hinge member I'I. A washer 39 and nut 4I mounted on the projecting threaded end of the tie bolt 3I afford means whereby the tension of the springs 35 and 36 (which are-normally tensioned) may be increased or decreased to suit various requirements of use.

Increase or decrease in the tension ofV the springs 35 and 33 is required in. instances of icing or when abnormal wearhas occurred ini the gasket I5. For example, when the gaskets l5 become worn to such an extent that hermetic sealing of the opening I2 is no longer eiected, the nut 4I on the tie bolt 3I is turned onto the tie boltso as to compress the springs 35-andz36 and thereby draw the hinge member ITIv inwardly towards the door frame. Suchinward movement of the member I 'l' carries the door I3 inwardly towards the door opening to thereby reduce the gap normally requiring sealing by thegasket. In such, manner any loss of sealing resultingk from excessive wear from the gaskets l5 may be progressively corrected.

Refrigerators and cold storage compartments frequently arediiiicult to sealv owing to icing conditions. The existence of such conditions, if` not compensated for, may, under certain circumstances, result in warpage of. thedoor I3 or break.-

age in the hinges or other hardwear mountedon the door. InY the present structure any resist..- ance to closing the door is automatically. ac,- counted for by the yieldable oating hinge con.- struction disclosed. Should icing or some other obstruction prevent proper closure of a door mounted by means of the present hinges, the ultimate position of ther door will be such as. to locate the hinge connection 24??.9 outwardly of the position best illustrated in Fig.. 3. Inother words, the link 22 will swing` outwardly` about .its pivot 2i. In such event thespring.35..is,com.. pressed to compensate for -the relocationv ofthe link 22 and the spring (i6-expands suiciently. to take up any slack and prevent free play inthe assembly.

When the door is moved into an open position, the link 22 moves in substantial unison therewith, the entire mounting pivoting on the pintle pin or bolt 2|. If desired, anti-friction bearings 42 may be arranged at opposite endsofthe bear.- ing portion 23 of the link 22 to minimize wear. Should spring breakage occur, it is a relatively simple mattertoy remove the tie1 bolt 3I,v while thedoor is in an open position, replace thebroken spring and, afterA replacing the bolt 3I, .adj.ust the springs to the required tension.

Although a. preferred embodiment of tl-refinv vention has been disclosed in the accompanying drawngsand described in detail vin the foregoing description, it should be understood that the invention is capable of embodying a wide variety of modifications in detail construction and manner of use without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A hinge for a door for closing and sealing an opening through a door frame including a mounting bracket adapted to be attached to a door frame, a member adapted to be attached to one face of the door, said memberhaving an end portion extending beyond an edge of the door and overlying the mounting bracket, a link connected at one end to the bracket and at its other end to the end portion inwardly of the free end of said portion, said link having an aperture in its medial portion and the extending end portion having an aperture aligned with the link aperture, a tiebolt extending loosely through said apertures, and a pair of springs surrounding the tie bolt, one located between the link and the extending end portion and the other located on the other side of said link, said tie bolt being effective to increase or decrease the tension of said springs.

2. In a hinge including a mounting bracket and a member, a link hingedly connected at one end to said bracket and at its other end to said member, and yieldable means disposed on opposite sides of the link midway between its ends connecting the member and said link whereby said member and link move in substantial unison about the hinge mounting bracket.

3. A hinge for a door for closing and sealing an opening through a door frame including a mounting bracket adapted to be attached to the door frame, a member adapted to be attached to the door, a link pivotally connected at one end to the member inwardly of one end of the member and at its other end to the bracket, and yieldable means connecting the said member and the medial portion of the link whereby the member and link move in substantial unison during opening and closing movement of the door, said yieldable means including a pair of compression springs one disposed on each side of the link.

4. A hinge for a door for closing and sealing an opening through a door frame including a mounting bracket adapted to be attached to the door frame, a member adapted to be attached to the door, a link pivotally connected at one end to the member inwardly of one end of the member and at its other end to the bracket, and yieldable means connecting the said member and the medial portion of the link whereby the member and link move in substantial unison during opening and closing movement of the door, said yieldable means including a pair of compression springs one on each side of said link and adjustable means to tension said springs.

ROBERT E. SLOPA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,987,512 Leonard Jan. 8, 1935 2,171,921 Duval et al Sept. 5, 1939 

